Cover-shifting mechanism.



Patented June 1, 1915.

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F. MERIAN. COVER SHIFTING MIjI'CI-I/ANISIVI.

`APPLICATION FILED APR. 23. I9I4.

I# @ges ufl ATENT FFFQE,

i COVEBFSHIFTING MEC z Specication of Letters Patent.

MSM.

Patented Q1 une il, 1915..

applicationaledaprnae,1ere. serrano. 334,022.

To all whom, 'it-may concern.'

Be it known that ll, FREDERIC MERIAN, a citizen of the Republic of Switzerland, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful improve-l ments in Cover- Shifting Mechanism, ot

which the" following is a speciication.

My Ainvention consists of an improvement in mechanism for manipulating the cover of a soaking'pit or other similar furnace, andl has for lits object to provide means for removing and replacing the cover, and for shifting it laterally from or to its operative position.

@ne of the. objects in view isto provide means'forsuch purpose capable-for'ed'ecting initial vertical raising of the cover, preferably before the lateral vshifting is started, or for final vertical lowering of the cover, preferably after it is laterally shifted back to position, in combination withA laterally shifting mechanism in order to prevent friction of the'cover on its seat, and to provide means to make the speed of the raising and lowering movement considerably smaller than the speed of the shifting' movement.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings,fin.whi ch- ,p

rigureli'sa plan view of the apparatus. Fig. 2 isa longitudinal sectional view on the lline 11.11. of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view on the line 111.111. of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view showing the lever-actuating mechanism'of Fig- 2 in operativeeng'agement. Fig. 5'is a view in sectionalelevation, similar to. Fig. .2, .showing a-rnodiied construction. Fig. t-is a verticalsectional -view through one side of of Fig-5.. v v

ln the drawings, a cover 2 for a soaking pit 3, or other similar furnace, is constructed' in any suitable .mannerof'the usual refractory ,material and: metallic reinforcement, and-is provided-with convenient lifting or supporting means, as transverse strips 4, v4, arched overthe cover plate and suitably arranged for edectually supporting its weight. A traveling carriage' 5 provided with supported -"rollers or wheels 6, i6, mounted upon a suitable runway or track 7, is provided with .levers 8 for' connection the mechanism, 'indicated' bythe line Vlflll.

L with and manipulation of' the .cover 2.

Levers. 8 Aare -pivotally mounted on able fulcrum supports 9 of the carriage 5, and their short arms are connected by chains or links 10, with the cover, and preferably to the supporting structural meinbers 4 thereof.

The long arm of the lever is provided with a pocket 11, adapted to be located within range of a transverse rod or bar 12, having at its ends rollers 13, 13, and fastened to chains 14, 14, traveling over sprocket wheels 15, 15, and 16, 16, of. the driving mechanism. Any other suitable projection on chain 14 may be used for the same purpose.

Sprockets 15 and 16 are mounted upon suitable shafts 17, 18, respectively, the ends of which are carried 1n suitable bearings 19, 20, one of the shafts, as 18, being actuated in either direction by gearing 21, 22, suitable clutch mechanism 23 being provided for intermittent engagement with a suitable prime mover, as an electric motor, and capable of operation in either direction.

The pocket 11 is formed by oppostely arranged abutments at each side of a central cavity, adapted to receive and engage with the rod l2 in either direction.. As shown in Fig. 2, when the cover 2 is lowered, the long arm of lever 8 is elevated, the pocket 11 being't-hen in position to receive and be depressedby the rod 12, at each side, as chains 14 travel in the direction indicated by the arrow. vUpon the rod 12 engaging pocket 11, the lever 8 is depressed, the cover 2 being thereby lifted free of its support over the pit-3. The initial part of this operation, vit -will be observed, will be vertical or very nearly so and will occur before any lateral movement is imparted to the pit cover, if the width ofthe space between the abutments of the pocket is made slightly :in excess of the thickness of rod 12, allowing for `lost motion as shown in the drawing.. Upon continued movement of-rod lf2-with chains 14 around sprockets 15 rearward movement will be imparted to lever 8 and carriage 5 thereby, the rod 12 traveling backwardly with thelower strands of the-chains, shifting the leverand carriage laterally ,from the pit3, and carrying'the cover 2 away therefrom insuspended position and clear of the furnace topf Attire. same `time roller 13 rides under a longitudinal rail 13', thereby retaining the. lever 3 in depressed position, with corresponding' elevation of the cover.

'llhe rear pair'of wheels 6 ci the carriage,

los

' or rollers 25, over whichv chains 10 lead,

running upon rails 7, which may convenpartly moved rearwardly from its normal position of Fig. 2, the rod 12 maintaining its position in the pocket 11. The shifting operation is continued until the cover is shifted backwardly from the pit 3, completely uncovering it, thereupon the rod will then ride out of the pocket 11 at the end of the carriage travel, and ride up around the sprockets 16. The movement of chains 1.4 may then be reversed, whereupon the rod 12 will then again enter the pocket and thrust against its opposite abutment, shifting the lever 8 and carriage 5 ahead, moving along the lower strands of chains 14 and riding upwardly around sprockets 15, and, after arriving at about the height of the center of the sprockets, will cease to impart any further shifting movement to the cover. At the same time the rod 12 while riding around sprockets 15 will release the lever 8, and complete the lowering of the cover with a final vertical or nearly vertical movement. Pocket 11 may preferably risev slightly higher up with rod 12, so that the final lowering of the cover occurs after the lateral shifting is completed. Rods 12 will then travel away from engagement with pocket 11 around the upper portion of the sprockets and eventually along part of the upper strands of the chains and be stopped there ready for the next operation. By this arrangement it will be seen that the commencement and termination of the traveling movement of the cover does not depend upon accurate stoppage of the chains, but that they automatically engage and disengage with the pocket between proper limits, thereby greatly facilitating the operation. If desired, however, the chains and rod 12 may be stopped at any desired pointv between the limits of travel of the carriage to effect partial movement of the c over and partial uncovering of the pit. The speed of the raising and lowering movement as compared with the speed of the lateral shifting movement depends on the length of the arms of the lever 8, therefore, the clearance between cover and furnace top can easily be changed or adjusted by changing the len th of one or both arms of the lever.

the modified arrangement shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the carriage 5a may extend somewhatv farther beyond the front wheels 6, and is provided with one or more sheaves which are connected with the cover 2 in the same manner as above described.v The other This stage of the movement is illustrated in Fig. 4, showing the carriage ends of chains 10a are connected to the short arm of a lever 8, pivoted at 9a upon a suitable bearing upon the carriage, lever 8a eX- tending into the path of rod 12a' or a roller 12b thereon, as above described. Pocket 11a is fixedly mounted on the carriage and in range of the rod 12 or a roller 12c thereon, when the cover is in normal position.v Sprockets 15 revolve on short separateshafts. The construction otherwise is the same as above described.

1n operation, roller 12b rides over the end of lever 8, gradually depressing it, lifting the cover 2, and enters between the abutments of pocket 11a. Thereupon, backward movement is imparted to the carriage, shifting the cover in the same manner, the cover being replaced by reverse movement, and gradually and gently lowered by the receding action of roller 12b, the completion of.

lever, a rolling support therefor, and independently operable mechanism having a definite range of movement adapted to engage said lever and move it with its rolling support.

2. Cover shifting mechanism consisting of a pivotally mounted lvertically swinging sup orting lever having a rolling support, a shi ing pocket, and an actuating element having a definite range :of movement adapted to swing the lever and engage the pocket to shift thelever.

3. Cover shifting mechanism consisting of I a pivoted vertically swinging supporting lever, a rolling support therefor, and independently operable mechanism having a.

denite range of movement adapted to engage said lever and move it with its rolling support and to automatically disengage therefrom. v 1

4. In combination, a rolling carrier, a

vertically swinging lever pivoted thereon, a

pocket operatively connected with the carrier, and means having a definite range of movement for engaging the lever and pocket adapted to actuate the lever and shift it and its carrier.

5. 1n combination, a rolling carrier, a vertically swinging lever pivotally mounted thereon and adapted to be connected with a cover or the like, a pocket connected with the carrier, and a cham drive having projections adapted to swing the lever and engage the pocket for raising and shifting the cover.

6. In' combination, a rolling carrier, a ver` tically swinging lever pivotally mounted thereon and adapted to be connected with a cover or the like, projections on the carrier, and a chain drive having projections adapted to swing the lever and engage said projections for raising and shifting the cover..

7 In combination, a rolling carrier, a pocket carried thereby, a vertically swinging .lever pivotally mounted on the carrier an pocket carried thereby, a vertically swinging lever pivotally mounted on the carrierr and adapted to be connected with a cover or the like, an actuating element operable to engage the lever and pocket to swing the lever manera? and shift the carrier, and means controlling the travel of the rolling carrier.

9. In combination, a vertically swinging lever which is supported on a rolling carrier, a shifting pocket connected with said carrier, a chain drive, and projections on said chain drive adapted to swing the lever and shift the carrier by pressing against said .lever and against a portion of said pocket.

10. In combination, a rolling carrier, a vertically swinging lever thereon, a shifting abutment operatively connected with the carrier, a chain drive, and a projection on said chain drive adapted to engage and swing the lever and said abutment to shift the carrier.

In testimony whereof I hereunto arix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

vFREDERIC MERIAN.

Witnesses:

C.M.C FREDK STAUB. 

